Stairmaster Stepmill Workouts

• A long set of stairs can take your breath away.staircase image by roberta fisher from Fotolia.com
  
  The StairMaster Stepmill is a cardiovascular-workout machine that looks and acts like a real set of stairs. If you've ever shown up to work only to notice the elevator was out of service, you know how tiring climbing a long set of stairs can be. Stairs are known to tone the lower body while helping to burn fat. With a Stepmill, you can walk as many stairs as you'd like from the comfort of the gym or your own home, and at a variety of speeds and difficulties.
  
  

Beginner

• Climbing stairs is a difficult feat for almost any fitness level, provided you climb them fast enough and for a long enough period of time. If you are just beginning on the Stepmill, or on your fitness journey in general, you will want to take your first few workouts slow. First, begin with five minutes climbing at a comfortable pace. Use the handrails and get used to balancing on the moving stairs. Once the five minutes is over, and when you have the balance down, increase the speed slightly. Time yourself and see how long you can maintain your new speed before becoming short of breath. Decrease the speed and climb at your slow beginning pace again until you feel ready to increase the speed. Repeat this cycle several times, and you have completed a beginner interval workout. With interval training, you spend more time at your maximum effort than during steady-state cardiovascular training, increasing the fat burning effect.
  
  

Intermediate

• An anaerobic workout is classified by shorts bursts of intense energy followed by a rest period, which is then cycled until the workout is over. Most cardiovascular workouts are made up of a steady level of effort maintained for longer periods of time. An anaerobic Stepmill workout may be the answer to boredom and sluggishness during your training session. First, warm up for five minutes at a steady pace, or until you break a light sweat. Then, crank the Stepmill speed up to your comfortable maximum effort. Go at your maximum for 15 to 30 seconds, then rest for one minute. Intermediate interval training differs from beginner interval training because during your maximum effort periods, you are expected to sprint as fast as you can do so safely. As you get more fit, you can increase your periods of maximum effort, your speed and/or rest for less time. This workout can yield results in as little as fifteen minutes, including the warm-up.
  
  

Advanced

• When you have conquered the speeds and durations of interval training, you have not yet exhausted the Stepmill's potential. By intentionally weighing yourself down on the Stepmill, either with dumbells, a sandbag, ankle weights or a weighted vest, you can increase the difficulty tremendously. Start with two five-pound dumbbells or ankle weights when advancing to weighted training. Perform a light, 10-minute workout at a steady state to feel out the balance and weight distribution. When you become comfortable, perform your interval workouts with the extra weight. You will most likely have to change your sprint periods, rest periods and speeds back to your beginner levels. Work back up to your intermediate levels weekly, or as you become comfortable.